Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has enacted legislation that tightens restrictions on essential anti-corruption bodies, the NABU and SAPO. The bill was voted in favor by 263 legislative deputies despite protests in Kyiv and other cities, with demonstrators fearing government interference in major corruption cases. The new law makes the prosecutor-general the head of SAPO, undermining its independence. The European Union expressed strong concern, labeling the decision a significant regression in Ukraine's democratization progress.
The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU's independence is a serious step back. We'll continue working with Ukraine on the necessary rule of law reforms & progress on its EU path.
The law makes the prosecutor-general the de facto head of SAPO, effectively stripping the agency's chief of their authority and allowing unilateral closure of cases involving top officials.
Hundreds of Ukrainians protested in Kyiv demanding that Zelenskyy veto the bill, saying it had been rushed through and will allow government meddling in high-profile graft cases.
The Verkhovna Rada's decision to adopt the bill has been labeled a 'serious step back' by the European Union, raising concerns about a reversal after a decade of democratization.
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